Development and application of a comprehensive evaluation index system for groundwater quality evolution patterns.

In recent years, driven by rapid socio-economic development and intensified human activities, the groundwater quality has exhibited a concerning trend of degradation. The challenge lies in integrating the impacts of both natural and anthropogenic factors to establish a scientific evaluation framework for the evolution of groundwater quality. This study adopts the model of driving forces - pressures - state - impacts - responses (DPSIR) proposed by the European Environment Agency, in conjunction with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Information Entropy Theory (IET), and the Water Quality Index (WQI) evaluation methods, to construct an evaluation index system for groundwater quality evolution that encompasses driving forces, state, and response systems.

Sevoflurane suppresses colorectal cancer malignancy by modulating β-catenin ubiquitination degradation via circSKA3.

Background: Sevoflurane (SEV), a commonly used inhalational anesthetic, reportedly inhibits colorectal cancer (CRC) malignancy, but whether SEV can inhibit the malignancy of CRC by regulating circular RNAs (circRNAs) remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to identify specific circRNAs that may be affected by SEV and to investigate their functional roles in CRC.

Methods: RT-qPCR was employed to detect the expression of circRNAs and mRNAs in CRC cells and tissues.

Modified intraoperative temperature management prevents prolonged length of stay after head and neck surgery with free flap reconstruction.

The present study aimed to investigate the association between intraoperative body temperature and prolonged length of stay (PLOS) after free flap reconstruction. A total of 753 patients who underwent head and neck surgery with free flap reconstruction were collected and randomly assigned into primary and validation cohorts. In the primary cohort, univariable and multivariable analyses were conducted to evaluate associations between intraoperative time-weighted (TW) temperature (TW average [TWA] temperature, TW hypothermia and TW hyperthermia) and PLOS.

Regulation of CRMP2 by Cdk5 and GSK-3β participates in sevoflurane-induced dendritic development abnormalities and cognitive dysfunction in developing rats.

Background: General anesthetics such as sevoflurane interfere with dendritic development and synaptogenesis, resulting in cognitive impairment. The collapsin response mediator protein2 (CRMP2) plays important roles in dendritic development and synaptic plasticity and its phosphorylation is regulated by cycline dependent kinase-5 (Cdk5) and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β). Here we investigated whether Cdk5/CRMP2 or GSK-3β/CRMP2 pathway is involved in sevoflurane-induced developmental neurotoxicity.

Inhibition of RhoA Activity Does Not Rescue Synaptic Development Abnormalities and Long-Term Cognitive Impairment After Sevoflurane Exposure.

General anesthetics interfere with dendritic development and synaptogenesis, resulting in cognitive impairment in the developing animals. RhoA signal pathway plays important roles in dendritic development by regulating cytoskeleton protein such as tubulin and actin. However, it's not clear whether RhoA pathway is involved in inhaled general anesthetics sevoflurane-induced synaptic development abnormalities and long-term cognitive dysfunction.

Dietary addition of zinc-methionine influenced eggshell quality by affecting calcium deposition in eggshell formation of laying hens.

The present study explored the mechanism of Zn-methionine (Zn-Met) influencing eggshell quality of laying hens and investigated whether the mechanism was related to Ca deposition. Hyline grey layers (n 384, 38 weeks old) were divided into four groups: 0 mg Zn/kg, 40, 80 mg Zn/kg as Zn-Met, and 80 mg Zn/kg as zinc sulphate (ZnSO4). Eggshell quality, Zn contents, Zn-containing enzyme activities and expressions of shell matrix proteins in eggshell gland (ESG) were analysed.

Alterations in cecal microbiota and intestinal barrier function of laying hens fed on fluoride supplemented diets.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fluorine at levels of 31, 431, 1237 mg/kg feed on cecum microbe, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and intestinal barrier function of laying hens. The results showed that the intestinal morphology and ultrastructure were damaged by dietary high F intake. The mRNA expression levels of zonula occludens-1, zonula occludens-2, claudin-1, and claudin-4 were decreased in jejunum and ileum.

Dietary cadmium chloride impairs shell biomineralization by disrupting the metabolism of the eggshell gland in laying hens.

In this study, we identified cadmium (Cd) as a potential endocrine disruptor that impairs laying performance, egg quality, and eggshell deposition and induces oxidative stress and inflammation in the eggshell glands of laying hens. A total of 480 38-wk-old laying hens were randomly assigned into 5 groups that were fed a basal diet (control) or a basal diet supplemented with Cd (provided as CdCl2·2.5 H2O) at 7.

Dietary High Sodium Fluoride Impairs Digestion and Absorption Ability, Mucosal Immunity, and Alters Cecum Microbial Community of Laying Hens.

(1) Background: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary fluoride (F) on tissue retention, digestive enzymes activities, mucosal immunity, and cecum microbial community of laying hens. (2) Methods: Total of 288 37-week-old Hy-Line Gray laying hens with similar laying rate (85.16% ± 3.

Sevoflurane Protects against Intestinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Activating Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma/Nuclear Factor-κB Pathway in Rats.

Background: Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a clinical challenge with high morbidity and mortality, whereas the effective therapeutic strategy is limited. Inflammatory reaction plays important roles in I/R-induced intestinal damage and multi-organ dysfunction syndrome. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) has been identified as an endogenous anti-inflammatory regulator by inhibiting nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation.

MiR-126 targets IL-17A to enhance proliferation and inhibit apoptosis in high-glucose-induced human retinal endothelial cells.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), which results in vision loss. This study explored the role of miR-126 in high-glucose-induced human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) and its underlying molecular mechanisms. The results showed that the expression levels of miR-126 and interleukin-17A (IL-17A) in high-glucose-induced HRECs were downregulated and upregulated, respectively.

Using sternal angle as anatomic landmark for right internal jugular vein catheterization in pediatrics.

Background: Many formulas based on the patient's height, weight and/or age exist to determine central venous catheter (CVC) depth in children. However, this information is unavailable in some emergency conditions. Therefore, direct methods should be developed to guide catheter position in children.

Both GSK-3β/CRMP2 and CDK5/CRMP2 Pathways Participate in the Protection of Dexmedetomidine Against Propofol-Induced Learning and Memory Impairment in Neonatal Rats.

Dexmedetomidine has been reported to ameliorate propofol-induced neurotoxicity in neonatal animals. However, the underlying mechanism is still undetermined. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), cycline-dependent kinase-5 (CDK5), and Rho-kinase (RhoA) pathways play critical roles in neuronal development.

Analysis of the effect of green roof substrate amended with biochar on water quality and quantity of rainfall runoff.

Green roofs are becoming a popular ecological alternative in urban areas worldwide. In this study, we constructed two modular green roofs (commercial substrate green roof and biochar substrate green roof) and analyzed the effects that the green roof substrate amended with biochar on the runoff retention capacity, water quality, pollutants releasing characteristic, and pollution load by simulating rainfall experiment (rainfall levels 10~80 mm). Results showed that the mean retention ratio was no significant differences between the commercial substrate (72.

Mercuric Chloride Induced Ovarian Oxidative Stress by Suppressing Nrf2-Keap1 Signal Pathway and its Downstream Genes in Laying Hens.

The present study evaluated the effects of mercury chloride (HgCl) on follicular atresia rate, sex hormone secretion, and ovarian oxidative stress in laying hens. Antioxidant enzyme genes and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) signal pathway were further studied to uncover the molecular mechanism. A total of 768 40-week-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly allocated to four treatments with eight pens per treatment and 24 hens of each pen.

The Postoperative Immunosuppressive Phenotypes of Peripheral T Helper Cells Are Associated with Poor Prognosis of Breast Cancer Patients.

Purpose: T helper cells play essential roles in anti-tumor immune response. However, the postoperative changes of peripheral T cell subsets and their clinical significance in breast cancer patients remain largely unknown.

Methods: We evaluated the perioperative changes of T lymphocyte subsets in invasive breast cancer (IBC) patients and breast fibroadenoma (BF) patients preoperatively (preop) and 6, 24, 72 hours postoperatively (POH6, POH24, and POH72).

Effects of Excess Dietary Fluoride on Serum Biochemical Indices, Egg Quality, and Concentrations of Fluoride in Soft Organs, Eggs, and Serum of Laying Hens.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of excess dietary fluoride (F) on serum biochemical indices, egg quality, and concentrations of F in soft tissues, eggs, and serum of laying hens. Commercial laying hens (n = 576, 51 weeks of age) were randomly allotted to 6 treatments with 6 replicates of 16 birds. The basal diets contained fluorine inclusions at a level of 16 mg/kg, and graded sodium fluoride was added to the basal diet to achieve fluorine inclusions, respectively, at a level of 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 mg/kg in the experimental diets.

CC-chemokine receptor 7 and its ligand CCL19 promote mitral valve interstitial cell migration and repair.

The effect of CC-chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) and CC-chemokine ligand 19 (CCL19) on rheumatic mitral stenosis is unknown. This study aimed to explore the roles of CCR7 and CCL19 in rheumatic mitral stenosis by measuring the expression of CCR7 and CCL19 in human mitral valves from rheumatic mitral stenosis patients. Additionally, we examined their effects on human mitral valve interstitial cells (hMVICs) proliferation, apoptosis and wound repair.

Sevoflurane Preconditioning Reduces Intestinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: Role of Protein Kinase C and Mitochondrial ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channel.

Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) has been considered to be a potential therapy to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) since the 1980s. Our previous study indicated that sevoflurane preconditioning (SPC) also reduced intestinal IRI in rats. However, whether the protective effect of SPC is similar to IPC and the mechanisms of SPC are unclear.

Propofol post-conditioning protects the blood brain barrier by decreasing matrix metalloproteinase-9 and aquaporin-4 expression and improves the neurobehavioral outcome in a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Propofol, an intravenous anesthetic, inhibits neuronal apoptosis induced by ischemic stroke, protects the brain from ischemia/reperfusion injury and improves neuronal function. However, whether propofol is able to protect the blood brain barrier (BBB) and the underlying mechanisms have remained to be elucidated. In the present study, a rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion was established, using a thread embolism to achieve middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Sevoflurane protects against intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury partly by phosphatidylinositol 3 kinases/Akt pathway in rats.

Background: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a clinical challenge with high morbidity and mortality, leading to intestine damage, systemic inflammation, and multiorgan failure. Previous research has shown that the inhaled anesthetic sevoflurane protects various organs from IRI. However, whether sevoflurane protects against intestinal IRI and which application condition is the most effective are not completely clear.

Preliminary feasibility and hemodynamic performance of a newly-developed self-expanding bioprosthesis and 16-F delivery system in transcatheter aortic valve implantation in sheep.

We sought to evaluate the feasibility and hemodynamic performance of a new self-expanding bioprosthesis and 16-F delivery system in sheep. A 23-mm new self-expanding aortic bioprosthesis was implanted in sheep (n = 10) with a 16-F catheter via the right common carotid artery. Each sheep underwent angiography and coronary angiography before intervention, immediately and 1 h after stent implantation.